I have noticed that with-in the Military community it is common practice to PCS without the help of a Real Estate Agent or more specifically ONLY calling listing agents for the properties you want to see...the thought behind this I suppose is "I can get a better deal if I don't involve another agent and contact the listing agent directly.". Well as a former real estate agent and Military spouse I am here to debunk this myth and tell you why it is in your best interest to have your own real estate agent when you buy a home.

Myth # 1- I will get a better deal if I call the listing agent directly.

That agent is contractually bound to do what is in the best interest of the seller and that means getting the highest dollar amount for the sale of their home. Do not disclose financial information to them because by law they have to go back to the seller with this information. Remember...your goal is to pay as little as possible while the seller's agent's goal is to get as much as possible. This is a good instance of where the negotiating skills of a professional Real Estate Agent could come in handy.

Myth # 2- I can find more homes for sale by calling more than 1 agent.

All Real Estate Agents pull the list of homes available from the same database. If you saw a home on Zillow and called an agent to send you listings and that particular home didn't come up remember sites like Zillow & Trulia aren't updated like the database real estate agents can pull from are...chances are the house that you saw has already been sold or is under contract.

In short, I would recommend using the services of a real estate agent in any home purchase transaction but especially when you are PCSing. Think of them as your man on the ground...your eyes and ears of market trends and area information. Most of the time you can even find an agent who is former Military or a Military spouse.